Where are the Catfish????

ReelFisher · Post by **ReelFisher** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:54 pm

I'm new to the state(military) and I am just trying to find out where the cat's are? I understand the cooler weather but I'm sure there are some catfish somewhere around. Any information would be great thanks.

gpc · Post by **gpc** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 6:01 pm

Most of the catfish lakes are on the east side of the state. Not a huge game fish in the state but there are still plenty of lakes to keep someone busy. On the west side I can only think of 2 off the top of my head. One is hearts lake around the tacoma area and lake Terrell in kitsap county. But almost every lake has some sort of population of bullhead. Like I said their is a bunch of lakes on the east side and there is no way to name them all but potholes resevoir and the surronding lakes (all the lakes conect so if 1 has them they all could, but I know Soda has them and hutchinson got stocked with them.), snake river, I - 82 pond #6 (state record came from there) evergreen resevoir are good places to start. We acctually just lost one of the state better cat fish lakes due to a lake rehab. Most of what we have are Channel catfish, but there is really a little of evrything. I knowm potholes has every type of bull head. Welcome to the site and thanks for your services too by the way.

Matt19 · Post by **Matt19** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:21 pm

Swofford Pond in Lewis County has put out some big channel cats in the past. Another place east of the mountains is the mouth of the Walla Walla river where it enters the Columbia.

Post by **Toni** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:28 pm

I have seen the cats and bullhead out of Harts Lake in Pierce County during the summer. It is near McKenna and Yelm. You didn't say where you are located.
Go to the reports on this website. http://washingtonlakes.com/ReportList.aspx?id=52

ReelFisher · Post by **ReelFisher** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 7:56 pm

Thanks for all the info. I will get out there ASAP and check out Harts. I am at Ft.Lewis and I'm pretty sure I have seen the signs for Hart's while driving through yelm. Thanks again and I will let you all know how it turns out.

Post by **Toni** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 8:18 pm

I would like to know because if I fish in my boat I would go to Harts. The right end of the lake (if you are looking toward the lake at the launch) is where I have hooked the biggest trout. I don't care for catfish but they were big in July.

VooDuuChild · Post by **VooDuuChild** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:06 pm

Up here in Snohomish County, they're everywhere it seems. I don't usually try for them, they just find me. Heck, last time I caught one, I was trolling; long lining no less, with a wedding ring and caught a sixteen inch catfish! Never done that before. I've caught decent ones out of both Lake Stevens and Lake Cassidy but like I said, they're in most lakes around here.

ReelFisher · Post by **ReelFisher** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:55 pm

Well fellas, thanks for all the great tips an I can't wait to get out and try the different holes HOWEVER, unfortunatly I just found out that I will be deplayed about 2 more months before I get home(deployment). So until then I will just continue to read about your fishin trips so I know where to hit when I get back!! Oh and leave some for the late bloomers this year!!haha Thanks

Post by **racfish** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 3:25 pm

Lake Washington also has a pretty nice Catfish area.I fish catfish in and around the Arboretum and the Uof W.We catch what is called a sweet meat catfish or yellow bullhead.They are not real big but they are fun.The Lake Terrell I know is in the Bellingham area.

Shad_Eating_Grin · Post by **Shad_Eating_Grin** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:54 am

racfish wrote:Lake Washington also has a pretty nice Catfish area.I fish catfish in and around the Arboretum and the Uof W.We catch what is called a sweet meat catfish or yellow bullhead.They are not real big but they are fun.The Lake Terrell I know is in the Bellingham area.

Hey Rac,

What kind of numbers do you catch at those spots in LK WA? In the spots I fish on Lake WA (on the eastern shoreline), I might catch one here and one there, but never a bucket full.

michaelunbewust · Post by **michaelunbewust** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:08 am

the lower yakima from april til october has a great catfish fishery. i fish below the bridges in richland. also, below ice harbor dam on the snake when the dam is not spilling. thanks for the service, and, another 2 months will put you right into spring fishing!!!

Post by **racfish** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:57 am

SEG. A bucketfull??????? Whats that? I catch on a good day maybe a dozen.Back in the 70's I would go to the Arboretum and load up on large cats,crappie,and blugill.Those days are gone.Last year I found an area right near my house that produced crappie in Lk. Wa. Right off Ferdinand Street South I live right there.I was about 25 yards off shore. I would love to find a good crappie area to fish.The other white meat...

VooDuuChild · Post by **VooDuuChild** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:45 pm

racfish wrote:SEG. A bucketfull??????? Whats that? I catch on a good day maybe a dozen.Back in the 70's I would go to the Arboretum and load up on large cats,crappie,and blugill.Those days are gone.Last year I found an area right near my house that produced crappie in Lk. Wa. Right off Ferdinand Street South I live right there.I was about 25 yards off shore. I would love to find a good crappie area to fish.The other white meat...

.....that's why my Crappie reports are in the secret lakes department; you aren't the only one who'd love to find where the slabs hang out.....the two little ones were actually pretty big pumkinseed sunfish....my favorite freshwater fish, just above Crappie....

gpc · Post by **gpc** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:52 pm

Those are some nice crappie VooDuu. my mouth is watering just looking at them

VooDuuChild · Post by **VooDuuChild** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:59 pm

Thanks, GPC; white fish meat is almost always excellent in my book.....but those darn little sunfish are just excellent I must say! I make sure and cherry pick'm now and just go for the big ones and let the others BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED.....

MikeFishes · Post by **MikeFishes** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 6:20 pm

ReelFisher wrote:Well fellas, thanks for all the great tips an I can't wait to get out and try the different holes HOWEVER, unfortunatly I just found out that I will be deplayed about 2 more months before I get home(deployment). So until then I will just continue to read about your fishin trips so I know where to hit when I get back!! Oh and leave some for the late bloomers this year!!haha Thanks

2 more months, just in time for better weather. Heck, you'll even be able to join in on this years BBQ (hopefully we'll have one :cyclops: )

ReelFisher · Post by **ReelFisher** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 5:00 pm

Yeah I saw that there is an annual BBQ. You can count me in is long as in the same country!haha.

jdlunk · Post by **jdlunk** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:46 pm

If you want to find Cats, head over to the snake river in Eastern WA. My buddy got a 10 pound Channel this October when were were over there. I myself love Catfish and was sad to hear I have to drive 5 hours to find them. However it is definately worth the Drive. Great Bass and even Walleye too over there.
JDL

Northwest Fishing Reports

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